Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[RichardB1948]

I've been looking at some archive film of Field Marshall Haig arriving at Gosport in 1921. Can anyone identify the car he is in?

The film is on youtube here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB5_PevPMNk

The scene is about 1 minute into the clip.

Thanks in advance.

[alanb]

I maybe wrong but that round radiator grill look very much like a Dutch Spyker.
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old tourer


Morris 8 two seater

[UmTumTiddly]

I am sure it is a Delaunay-Belleville. Could be wrong but I would put a fiver on it.

[Rick]

[roverdriver]

Hard to tell as it is an Edwardian style car, not one of 1921 manufacture. I suspect that the electric lights etc are later fitments. It could also be a Hotchkiss, all three had round radiators with '44 gallon drum' bonnets.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[RichardB1948]

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful.

[Ray White]

Haig in a different (earlier) car.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryT6mt2O2FY

These round radiator cars can be tricky to identify as is this one.

It is easier to say what it is not. For example, despite the military connection, it is not a Hotchkiss. They have a solid brass segment at the top of the radiator and a circular emblem in the form of a military uniform belt and buckle with distinctive crossed cannons in the middle.

It is not a Delaunay Belleville, either. Their famous round radiators of this period have an off set band around their circumference with the larger area at the bottom. The Haig car has an off set feature but with the larger area at the top.

Spyker cars have a propeller emblem akin to BMW. Their round radiators, like the Hotchkiss have a brass segment at the top and also have a uniform circle of brass to the circumference.

The most notable British car with a round radiator of this period would be Riley...but those are not Riley wheels - and Riley were famous for their wire wheels. Or...my favourite car of the time; a Sheffield Simplex - but I don't think it's that either. The Beeston Humber had a round radiator but again the off set is more at the bottom. It can't be an air cooled barrel hood Franklin either.

It could be a Pick. Then again a late Speedwell might be a possibility.

Other cars like La Lacoste et Battemann are other possibilities which need further investigation.

So to my mind this car remains a mystery. unless you guys have seen something that I haven't.!

[Bengt Axel]

I am still confident that the one minute into the first film is a Delaunay Belleville, despite Ray's misgivings. Though they always used circular radiators at the time the exact design is not totally consistent.

The one at the start of the second film I would, for starters, suggest Maudslay
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"Once bread becomes toast, it can never go back!

[Ray White]